1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the distribution of weather-related data to a number of terminals, and, more specifically, to delivering data related to specific regions to terminals within these specific regions.
2. Background Information
Although accurate weather information is always being generated by a number of sources, existing methods for distributing such information limits its usefulness to many individuals and organizations. Commercial and governmental interests whose operations may be severely affected by changes in the weather, such as airports, individual aircraft, and maritime interests, use sophisticated equipment to view weather information generated at their locations. The most common type of this equipment is radar, which is now present in the nose cones of airliners as well as at airport sites.
On the other hand, most other individuals and organizations do not have access to sophisticated equipment for weather observation. What is needed is a means to provide personalized weather information for an individual user by enhancing and transposing currently generated weather information, including information from weather radar, so that such information appears as it would if it were generated at or near the location of the user.
Since weather observations generated from radar data have been available to television viewers for years, many people are thoroughly familiar with the format of such observations, including the use of various colors to indicate local weather severity caused, for example, by storm cells. However, a typical television weather broadcast must cover such a wide area, which is generally essentially coincident with the viewing area of the television station, that the data display usually cannot adequately present localized conditions. Localized conditions are presented at most during limited time periods and when extremely severe conditions occur. Even such reports may not be understood by travelers who are not familiar with the landmarks referenced in a weather data presentation.
Furthermore, weather broadcasts from local television stations are typically only presented several times a day. At least one cable network station presents weather data continuously, but this data is presented on a national basis, with only a fraction of the time being given to local weather. In either case, the benefit of local information is achieved only for viewers watching the television station when such data is presented.
Thus, what is needed is a means for obtaining weather data at any time chosen by the user of a weather station, with such data being formatted in a manner including the familiar radar format for a localized area surrounding the user or chosen by him, preferably including the familiar radar format, whether the user is in a fixed location or mobile within a vehicle.
3. Description of the Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 5,568,385 to Shelton describes a computer-based system for collecting and displaying weather information, which includes a microprocessor-based computer programmed to receive digital signals encoding weather data collected at each of a number of weather stations, and to store and retrieve those digital signals in predetermined screen buffers to generate weather data screens displaying alphanumeric and graphic displays of the data. The system includes multiple weather stations, each of which includes one or more weather instruments capable of sensing a particular weather parameter. Remote weather stations are connected to the computer by conventional modem/telephone hookups. Display screen data output from the computer is converted to a television broadcast quality signal, so that the data screens may be broadcast or otherwise delivered to television viewers through conventional television delivery systems.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,265,024 to Crabill et al. describes a system for providing systematic updated weather information from the ground to the pilot of an aircraft. A ground station receives and assimilates weather data for satellite broadcast as digital weather data, which is received by an aircraft, while on the ground or while airborne. This data is encoded by a flight processor within the aircraft and shown on a display screen to the pilot in map-type depictions and alpha-numeric format tailored to his operational needs. The display screen information is controlled by a control panel that permits the pilot to select the departure, destination, alternate, and any arbitrary airport. Such a selection establishes the map boundaries, with the projected flight path being marked on the displayed map.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,565,909 to Thibadeau et al. describes a system in which location-specific messages or programming are generally broadcast to be selectively filtered by user terminals which have encoded one or more arbitrary locations of interest. The area surrounding a user, a remote location, a route to be traveled, or the like may be selected for receipt of local warnings, local commercial messages, and the like. The messages are received by a set-top receiver, which is preferably a tunable apparatus capable of receiving digital information transmitted by a variety of means. Transmitted messages contain information targeted to geographical groups of users, with location-designation coding accompanying location-specific messages. A geographic location selection code is entered into a data processor coupled to the user's receiver to define the user's selected location(s) of interest. The user's selection code is variable, and plural locations can be used and prioritized. Preferably, regions are encoded by their boundaries, e.g. in longitude, latitude, altitude, or the like, and in absolute or relative coordinates, with shorthand designations referring to stored definitions of areas. Filtering segments based on message content, prioritizing the messages and additional features, can be included.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,654,886 to Zerzski, Jr. et al. describes a system providing multimedia presentations of outdoor information, such as weather information and ski reports, on information transmission networks, such as the Internet, on-line services, and interactive TV. The outdoor information is compiled from a plurality of sources by transmitting it to a presentation generator, in which it is converted into presentation information for generating multimedia presentations. The presentation information is stored in a computer database that is accessible through the network. A multimedia presentation, which is generated at the user device, may include a graphic display of a meteorologist's weather forecast and an audio reproduction of the meteorologist's oral weather forecast.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,528,248 to Steiner, et al. describes apparatus for displaying a geographical location, determined with a GPS antenna, as an icon on a map.
A number of U.S. patents describe systems for transmitting information, other than weather information, to various display devices in accordance with the location of the display device.
A first example of such a system is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,678,194 to Grube et al., which describes a system in which geographic-dependent information may be automatically transmitted to communication units by a communications resource controller, which, upon receiving location coordinates, accesses a data base to determine localized geographic dependent information. Having retrieved this information, the communication resource controller transmits this information to communication units. Upon receipt of this information the communication units determine whether it is pertinent to them. It the information is pertinent, the communication units display the information. The geographic-dependent information is described, for example, as telling a police officer with a communication unit what areas in his vicinity need to be checked.
A second example of such a system is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,528,248 to Steiner et al., which describes apparatus for displaying a geographical location as an icon on a map. The apparatus includes a GPS antenna for determining the geographical location, a personal computing system including a display, a processing system including a standard software operating system, and a map application program capable of running the operating system.
A third example of such a system is found in U.S. Pat. No. 5,717,392 to Eldridge, which describes a position-responsive information presentation system and control, which automatically provide multimedia output that is responsive to a user's location, speed, acceleration, and directional orientation. The system may receive position information from various systems, including a satellite global positioning system (GPS), or it may use pre-established external triggers located at sites where information is to be presented. The system may provide information on local history and geography, available local services, etc.
Other U.S. patents describe systems for creating displays of geographical and weather data. An example of such a system is found in the weather visualization system of U.S. Pat. No. 5,379,215 to Kruhoeffer et al., which retrieves a static terrain map to be merged with dynamic weather information, generating, for example, a sequence of images to provide "fly-by" animation. Another example of such a system is the weathercasting system of U.S. Pat. No. 5,583,972 to Miller, for displaying dynamic, real-time, photo-realistic, three-dimensional pictorial representations of weather conditions created from meteorological data combined with geographic and topographical data.